In addition to the Health and Safety measures and travel requirements described on this page, the current advice from the World Health Organization, EU Healthy Gateways and other authorities is that COVID-19 is often more severe in people who are older or who have health conditions like lung or heart disease, diabetes or conditions that affect their immune system. Older guests or those with such conditions are advised to consult with a doctor or their local health authorities for guidance before travelling to assess whether they should be travelling at this time. According to the EU Healthy Gateways advisory, anyone over 65 years of age is considered part of a higher risk group.

Before booking your cruise, please check HERE if you are allowed to embark according to your country of residence. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there might be international travel restrictions depending on your cruise destination and your country of residence. 

In addition, travel requirements might be different according to your cruise destianation. Please select your destination below:

 

• Mediterranean
• Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Qatar
• Caribbean
• Northern Europe
• MSC Grand Voyages & MSC World Cruise

As during a cruise, you may be exposed to specific COVID-19 risks that may not be usually covered by existing insurance policies, to ensure your peace of mind is strongly recommended – for all new reservations from 1 July 2022 onwards - for all guests to have in place an insurance policy that specifically covers them against COVID-19 related risks, such as cancellation, interruption, repatriation expenses, quarantine, medical assistance and related expenses, as well as hospitalization. If you have no insurance in place, please note that you might be exposed to additional costs that could not be covered by the Company.

The insurance should be in place to cover you and your family, from the confirmation of your booking until the end of the cruise, your cruise and flight or your Stay & Cruise package.

To fully protect you from the above risks, MSC offers a COVID Protection Plan - an insurance policy specifically designed for these COVID-19 risks - that can be added to the cruise whilst making the booking. The Covid Protection Plan is applicable to all departures on sales. Before finalizing the reservation, it will be possible to add to the cruise the MSC COVID-19 Protection plan at the price of 25€ per person for short haul destinations (Mediterranean and Northern Europe cruises), 29€ for Long Haul destinations (Caribbean & Antilles, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Red Sea, South America and Positioning cruises) and 45€ for World Cruise.

Alternatively, you may travel with another insurance policy covering the above risks.

Booked Guests that found themselves not to meet any of the requirements of the MSC Health and Safety Protocol (e.g missing vaccination) and therefore that they are prevented from boarding, are asked to send written communication to MSC Cruises not later than 15 days before the scheduled departure of their cruise in order to request their voucher or reschedule their cruise according to the MSC Flexible Booking Program.

Our guests who have booked directly with MSC can use our form, those who have booked via travel agency are kindly invited to refer to their travel agent.

If a guest presents symptoms of illness such as temperature higher than 37.5°C / 99.5°F or there are concerns with their health questionnaire, they will undertake a secondary screening, including in-depth interview, a second temperature measurement, a medical examination and, if necessary, a laboratory examination.

If a guest is then not considered fit to travel, they will be assisted in their next steps of a return home or will be potentially being treated in a local medical facility to ensure maximum support and care. All guests who have purchased COVID-19 insurance will be fully protected. 

All guests who have purchased COVID-19 insurance will be fully protected. 

We are extending our enhanced health and hygiene measures to all MSC transfers, including:

- Cleaning and sanitisation of all vehicles before any new group of guests

- Availability of hand sanitisation stations and disinfectant mats for footwear

- Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for all drivers

- Reduced number of guests with selected seats empty to ensure social distancing

According to our enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols, every guest cabin will be thoroughly cleaned on a daily basis, with special attention to 40 frequently-touched areas, such as door handles, power switches, control panels, remote controls, desks and bathroom surfaces.
Every cabin will be deep cleaned at the end of each cruise before the next guests arrive for their holiday.

All public areas and public restrooms will be deep cleaned and sprayed with disinfectant each night, as well as regularly sanitised throughout the day.  For example, public toilets will be cleaned every 20 minutes, and all cleaning staff will wear appropriate PPE.

Before the cruise, the collection of contact details for each guest is mandatory in case of important updates. Proceeding to the web check-in allow guests to receive cruise tickets, travel documentation and mandatory health questionnaires. On the embarkation day, guests should arrive at the time indicated on the cruise ticket to facilitate responsible social distancing, with travel documentation, vaccination certificate (must be valid for the whole duration of the cruise), negative Covid test certificates and health questionnaires. As per our stringent MSC Health & Safety protocol, all guests both vaccinated and unvaccinated, will need to undergo Health and COVID-19 screenings including but not limited to a health questionnaire and a contactless temperature check at the terminal before boarding. A newly designed processes for embarkation has been implemented to manage the guest flow, to limit lines and contacts.

Before the cruise, MSC Cruises invites all guests to download for free the MSC for Me app to start booking additional services, to secure space and to ensure a seamless onboard experience. 

Yes. As part of our comprehensive and enhanced health and safety protocol, we have a contingency response plan in place with all the relevant authorities in the ports where the ships will call. 

All MSC Cruises’ ships are equipped with state-of-the-art medical services and an increased number of qualified medical staff onboard, supported by dedicated 24/7 ashore Medical Team. We continuously monitor the health of our guests and crew with contactless temperature checks during the cruise; in case of flu-like symptoms, guests should immediately notify the Medical Centre and free treatment will be provided.

The wearing of face masks is highly recommended. In certain circumstances this recommendation might be due to a mandatory requirement in accordance with applicable health authorities regulations of a country or port of call visited. When ashore, guests must also follow any local regulations regarding face mask usage. These protocols are subject to change.

Our bars will be open and ready to serve our guests with their favourite cocktail or aperitif.

You can save time by personalising your cruise even before getting onboard. Through your Personal Area you can easily add drink packages or dining experiences to your cruise and take advantage of our pre-boarding rates. 

For a contactless experience, guests will access restaurant and bar menus from their personal mobile device by scanning a QR code whilst on board. Before the cruise, MSC Cruises invites all guests to download for free the MSC for Me app to browse all the onboard restaurants, bars and lounges and to ensure a seamless onboard experience like making restaurant reservations.

Guests will enjoy our onboard award-winning entertainment but with a few changes:

- We are reducing the capacity of the theatre to allow for empty seats between guests
- The entertainment programme will be extended so that all guests can enjoy our award-winning shows
- Shows and activities will be pre-booked to manage the number of participants

The wearing of face masks is highly recommended. In certain circumstances this recommendation might be due to a mandatory requirement in accordance with applicable health authorities regulations of a country or port of call visited.

 

Book now your Spa Packages!

 

*Due to the increased Health & Safety measures in order to grant a safe cruise for all our guests Thermal Area experiences are by appointment only.   

The casino remains fully functional under the new protocol with added sanitation and social distancing measures in place, including frequent sanitising of chips, replacing playing cards on a regular basis and a reduced number of seats at gaming tables. 

If you wish to go ashore during your cruise, you can only do so by participating in one of our MSC Shore Excursions to ensure the same high standards of health and safety ashore as on board.
For Summer 2021 cruises In the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, MSC Cruises offers a large variety of shore excursions. Some excursions are available only to Guests holding the EU Digital Covid Certificate/Green pass, while others excursions are open to those not in its possession, guaranteeing in both cases the highest health and safety standards. More information about the tours are available here. Please note that Guests holding the EU Digital COVID Certificate/Green pass, travelling with children over 12 years who do not hold an EU Digital COVID Certificate/Green card will be considered as Guests not holding the EU Digital COVID Certificate/Green pass, for excursions purposes: children will be requested to do the free covid test on board to participate to the excursion (or the booked excursion will need to be changed for another tour not requiring the green pass).

The EU Digital COVID Certificate / Green Pass is a digital certificate with a QR code issued by countries in Europe to show the following:
• The person has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, taken at least 14 days beforehand, using a vaccine recognized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA)
• The person has recovered from COVID-19 within the last six months
• Someone who has a negative result for a molecular or antigen test performed in the last 48 hours

The copy of the EU Digital COVID Certificate / Green Pass (digital or paper format) and a personal ID or passport, must be shown during the tour at all required entry checks. This is a regulation coming from the local authorities and MSC Cruises is not responsible if access is denied at one of the venues on the selected tour.

Every port of call offers also a variety of excursions that do not require the EU Digital COVID Certificate / Green Pass. Guests not in possession of a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate / Green Pass, can change excursion but availability is limited for some tours. Alternatively, Guests can contact the MSC Excursions office on board during the cruise: a free test will be arranged.